SRJC Course Outlines

3/19/2024 2:58:12 AMPHIL 5 Course Outline as of Fall 2024

Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION

Discipline and Nbr:  PHIL 5Title:  CRITICAL THINK/WRITE  
Full Title:  Critical Thinking/Writing
Last Reviewed:1/23/2023

UnitsCourse Hours per Week Nbr of WeeksCourse Hours Total
Maximum3.00Lecture Scheduled3.0017.5 max.Lecture Scheduled52.50
Minimum3.00Lab Scheduled06 min.Lab Scheduled0
 Contact DHR0 Contact DHR0
 Contact Total3.00 Contact Total52.50
 
 Non-contact DHR0 Non-contact DHR Total0

 Total Out of Class Hours:  105.00Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50 

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly: 

Catalog Description:
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In this course, students will learn to use critical thinking principles in the reading, writing, and analysis of extended argumentative essays.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:
Completion of ENGL 1A OR EMLS 10 (formerly ESL 10) or higher (V8) or appropriate placement based on AB 705 mandates


Recommended Preparation:

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description: Untitled document
In this course, students will learn to use critical thinking principles in the reading, writing, and analysis of extended argumentative essays.
(Grade or P/NP)

Prerequisites:Completion of ENGL 1A OR EMLS 10 (formerly ESL 10) or higher (V8) or appropriate placement based on AB 705 mandates
Recommended:
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;UC.
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:Effective:Spring 1991
Inactive: 
 Area:B
Communication and Analytical Thinking
 
CSU GE:Transfer Area Effective:Inactive:
 A3Critical ThinkingFall 1991
 
IGETC:Transfer Area Effective:Inactive:
 1BCritical Thinking - English CompositionFall 1981
 
CSU Transfer:TransferableEffective:Spring 1991Inactive:
 
UC Transfer:TransferableEffective:Spring 1991Inactive:
 
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Major Applicable Course



COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:
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1. Analyze extended arguments to identify and explain their claims and premises.
2. Evaluate extended arguments to determine whether their claims are adequately supported.
3. Compose cogent written argumentative essays.
 

Objectives: Untitled document
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:
1. Identify and describe the main conclusion or thesis of an argument and demonstrate an understanding of its significance.
2. Identify and paraphrase the main supporting premises for a conclusion and the arguments in support of those premises.
3. Identify vagueness, ambiguity, emotive language, and other rhetorical elements of an argument.
4. Make explicit any unstated premises and/or conclusions in an argument.
5. Employ the correct techniques for evaluating the deductive and/or inductive structures of a component argument within the larger argument.
6. Determine and discuss the relevance of premises to conclusions.
7. Detect and describe logical fallacies that may occur in an argument.
8. Evaluate the acceptability of any unsupported statements of fact or opinion in an argument.
9. Perform a summary evaluation of an overall argument.
10. Select an appropriate topic for an argumentative essay and formulate a clear and defensible conclusion.
11. Conduct library research to support an argument and provide the appropriate documentation.
12. Develop strong arguments that are based upon sound inferences from clear and acceptable premises.
13. Anticipate and critique the strongest counterarguments.
14. Express ideas clearly, precisely, and unambiguously.
15. Organize essays, paragraphs, and sentences logically and coherently.

Topics and Scope
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Topics and sequences vary but a typical course involves the following:
I. The Concept of "Argument" and its Various Components (e.g. Issue, Conclusion, Premise, Assumption)
II. Clarity in Language Use
    A. How to recognize unclear language
    B. How to improve the clarity of one's own writing
III. Rhetorical Features of Argument Evaluation
    A. Ambiguity, connotation, denotation, euphemism, slanting, etc.
    B. Identifying rhetorical features in critical essays
IV. Types of Argument
    A. Deductive, inductive, syllogism, generalization, analogy, causal argument, etc.
    B. identifying types in critical essays
V. Methods for Evaluating Arguments (e.g. Validity, Soundness, Cogency, Relevance, Logical Fallacy)
VI. Determining the Acceptability of Claims of Fact, Value, Opinion, etc.
VII. Selecting Argumentative Essay Topics and Conclusions
VIII. Developing and Presenting Relevant Support for a Conclusion
IX. Identifying and Responding to the Strongest Objections to a Position
X. Organizing an Argumentative Essay Clearly, Logically, and Coherently by the Appropriate Use of Essay Components
    A. Introduction
    B. Transitions
    C. Conclusions
    D. Summaries
    E. Logical relationships between sentences in a paragraph and between paragraphs in an essay
XI. Library Research and Documentation, as Pertaining to Argument Essays
XII. Revision Techniques to Improve Clarity, Coherence, Accuracy, Cogency and Logical Progression

Assignments:
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1. Written application of methods for evaluating different types of arguments
2. Written application of methods for selecting argumentative essay topics and conclusions and developing and presenting relevant support for a conclusion
3. Written application of library research and documentation
4. Writing assignments of at least 6000 words total, divided into at least 5 essays
5. Revising essays to improve their clarity, coherence, accuracy, cogency, and logical progression
6. Exam(s) (1-2)

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.
Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.Writing
70 - 90%
Written applications; essays
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.Problem Solving
5 - 20%
Written applications of methods
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.Skill Demonstrations
0 - 0%
None
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.Exams
5 - 25%
Exam(s)
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.Other Category
0 - 0%
None


Representative Textbooks and Materials:
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Critical Thinking. 6th ed. Bassham, Gregory. McGraw Hill. 2018.
Critical Thinking, Reading and Writing. 9th ed. Barnett, Sylvan and Bedau, Hugo. St. Martins. 2016 (classic).
Elements of Style. White, E. B. and Strunk, William. WLC Books. 2009 (classic).
Instructor prepared materials

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